1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to display of information concerning human information visualization, particularly of two-dimensional objects such as advertisements.
2. Background Art
In developing effective means to communicate with people using visual presentations, means for determining effectiveness of such presentations are required. In order to create effective advertisements, for example, one must have an effective means of judging the effects of the advertisement on the consumer. Preferably, such means must be easily and intuitively understood by decision makers at all levels.
Prior mechanisms for assessing information concerning consumer processing of visual information, of varying complexity, include U.S. Pat. No. 5,676,138, to Zawilinski, entitled “Emotional Response Analyzer System with Multimedia Display”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,729, to Bittman et al., entitled “Method and Apparatus for Biofeedback”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,969, to Silberstein, entitled “Equipment for Testing or Measuring Brain Activity”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,874, to Von Kohorn, entitled “Method for Measuring the Effectiveness of Stimuli On Decisions of Shoppers”; U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,401, to Sherwin, entitled “Product Detector for a Steady Visual Evoked Potential Stimulator and Product Detector”; U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,154, to Sherwin et al., entitled “Automated Visual Assessment System With Steady State Visual Evoked Potential Stimulator and Product Detector”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,647,964, to Weinblatt, entitled “Technique for Testing Television Commercials”.
None of the above patents discloses the technique of the present invention in displaying information about reaction to an image by breaking the image into matrix cells and varying transparency of cells depending on information gathered about that cell. None of the prior disclosures are believed to have the intuitive impact of the present invention, and therefore are unlikely to be as successful in providing accurate information to decision makers.